Peter Hutterer, the man behind the multiple pointer X server, has released an update to MPX server, adding support for multitouch displays. "MPX already supported multiple input devices. Which blows pretty much all assumptions in user interfaces (input) out of the water. Now I've gone one step further and added support for multi-touch displays."

I doubt very much that mouse will be history in 10 years, if you put the display vertical as current screen, your arms will be quite tired at the end of the day.

If you put the display horizontal as shown on the video, it's better for the arm, but
1)it's still more tiring than using a mouse,
2)it takes quite a lot of space and
3)your neck may not appreciate looking down all the day.

Not the old "tired arms" argument. We don't all have to ham it up like Tom Cruise! I say try it, and work out the usability bugs rather than pooh-pooh it.

Imagine your keyboard/mouse combo, currently on your desk is replaced by a touchscreen, designed specifically for the desktop. Now, a lot of people wouldn't like typing that way - without the feedback. But I hesitate to suggest that most people don't actually do a great deal of typing at home, and when you need to, a keyboard is like $5 so why not have one lying around.

1) So with this set-up, why would it be more tiring than a mouse? You don't usually drag things around the desktop, so mostly you'll just be touching a control, then your arms are yours again, to rest as you like.

2) I don't think the space a production version, designed for the desktop, would take up would be a great problem. My PDA has a touchscreen, after all.

3) No-one told you to dump your monitor. Think Nintendo DS on a large scale. Heck, your old monitor could be a touchscreen as well, for total control.

And this is just stuff off the top of my head. You have to assume that most, if not all the problems with this proof-of-concept system would be ironed-out by the developers. Mice are cheap and convenient, but limiting. If we could all have touchscreens in our homes, we would.